I would like to share my experience with our nurse, Betty, and wholeheartedly nominate her for a DAISY Award. My ex-husband, M, who was part of the Baystate family, had been recently diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer, which was deemed to be inoperable. While preparing for chemotherapy, he began having acute respiratory issues, which landed him in and out of the hospital. One night, as he was struggling with sats in the 70s, the decision was made to intubate him, and he was brought to SICU for care. We were fortunate enough to have Betty caring for Michael on several occasions.

Betty was always respectful and engaging, taking note of the small things that were so important to M. She always made sure his fan was on; she swabbed his dry mouth without him having to ask, and she kept a basin of ice water so she could frequently refresh the cool compresses for his forehead. For quite a while, he was awake and alert on the vent and hated to be restrained, shaking his wrists at me when I arrived to visit. Betty was kind enough to note when it was safe to release the restraints when I was at the bedside, so as not to risk his safety. Betty always approached him with kindness and asked for his preferences whenever possible. She clearly understood how hard it was for him to have no control over the situation and that we were running out of time and options. Betty was good company and a source of comfort to me, M, and M's best friend as we navigated his ICU stay. She always kept me up to date on the day's events and M's condition overall. She looked at pictures and tried to get to know him as the beloved father he was. It was very clear to me on day one that Betty truly cares for her patients and knows exactly how to lead families through an ICU journey with quiet confidence.

Although M was unable to recover from his illness, my children and I are so fortunate that Betty was there to take such excellent care of M and our family. The day we decided to withdraw care, Betty was off. In a strange coincidence, the next day at the grocery store, I heard someone say my name in the aisle. It was Betty. I had never seen her there before, and I know this from our conversations, as she doesn't live in my town. She happened to stop in after an appointment to pick up a few things. I was able to hug her and tell her how much we appreciated everything she did for M and our family. There was definitely a higher power at work there.

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We are writing to nominate an exceptional MICU nurse for the DAISY Award. My brother, Z, and I are both employed at Baystate, and I am an NP in the Neurocritical Care Unit. I have had the pleasure of working with Betty Babb during my time in the ICU and have always known what a wonderful nurse she is. Our dad was hospitalized at Baystate Medical Center. During that time, he required admission to the medical ICU on 4 separate occasions. During three out of the four ICU stays, Betty was his nurse. She was exceptionally compassionate and patient with our dad. She went above and beyond to respect his privacy and ensure she supported his dignity to the best of her ability. She advocated for his needs both when he was able to speak and when he was unable to do so.

The one ICU stay that our dad had, Betty was not his nurse; she made sure to check on him. Our dad had a unique personality, and with his prolonged hospital stay, it was not uncommon or unexpected that he would be upset or frustrated, often making the staff know his displeasure; however, he always had a smile on his face when he heard Betty would be his oncoming nurse. He looked forward to being cared for by Betty. Betty always went above and beyond for our dad and the entire family. She would always communicate any changes in condition to us or if she just felt that we should be present. She knew exactly how to make all of us feel better, which kept us all at ease during this very difficult time.

Betty was also our dad's primary nurse on his final day of life. She was calm, patient, and respectful towards our dad, me, my siblings, our mother, and my dad's partner. She was thoughtful and explained everything she was doing as she did it, making sure our dad was comfortable the entire time. Even when she needed to provide personal care for him on this final day, she allowed us to stay nearby, just in case. Losing our dad was one of the hardest days of our lives, but we are all very thankful that we had Betty to help us through that moment. Betty exemplifies compassionate, dignified care. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.